Sports Direct

thegodplato

Has nayone bought anything from their cycling range? They have some really cheap padded shorts/bib shorts and leggings,etc that are under £10 or so. What about these - http://www.sportsdirect.com/mfx-elite-s ... ens-635056 how do they compare to these - http://www.sportsdirect.com/muddyfox-pa ... e=63503803

Any opinions?

mr_poll

Might be ok over some proper bib shorts for when the weather is nippy, or on a short commute - however not sure they would provide the protection you would want for a long rides.

gingermagician

Pay peanuts, get monkeys...

smidsy

I bought the bib tights, 2nr tops and pair of shoes from there when I started in January £60 all in.

The pad in the tights was OK until I bought a set of Gore bib tights due to a mad rush to the head while browsing the inter web one day and realised how good a pad can be.

The tops are OK but loose fitting style which I have come to realise is not what I want so have now got close fitting stuff.

I still use the spd-sl compatible shoes but they are the next thing on my list to replace as the velco strap crosses over to the inside of the shoe and catches on the crank arm every revolution - which is driving me crazy.

It's the little things that you do not realise when buying stuff as a new rider.

If I knew in January what I think I know now I would have never bought the Sports Direct stuff.

I would not go back to the Muddy Fox stuff now - apparantly it is for Moutain bikes and should not be seen on a road bike???

My advice spend a little extra to get something that will last you.

If you do not want to spend top dollar on Gore, Assos, Castelli etc. the stuff in Decathalon is reasonable if you get the mid or high end range stuff. They have 3 different pad types to choose from and several price ranges in tops etc.

NITR8s

Ive got the Muddyfox padded shorts £5.99, top £8.00 and gloves (cant remember price), ok Muddy fox is a mountain bike make but they do make road bike clothing as well. Obviously you get what you pay for, but for the price you cant go wrong. The only thing i would suggest is to avoid the road shoes, I was gonna go for them before I read the reviews and it would appear that they are prone to falling apart. I say go for it, but dont expect them to be really good as there is a reason they are only cheap.

Gizmo_

I picked up one of the short sleeve orange tops the other day for £6. Seems OK, not expecting it to last too well but at least it's cyclist-shaped with a generous bum-cover.

I would have got some of the tights but the pad isn't 'designed' at all, it's just a saddle-shaped piece of foam, and compared to my Altura shorts I couldn't see it being very effective at all.

houndlegs

I got afew tops there the other day , and for the money they're great, no idea how long they will last ,but who cares.
As for the comment about them being for mountain bikes and shouldn't be seen on the road, I bet you want me to stop wearing my mountain bike helmet and shoes on the road as well

oldwelshman

Depends what you want really, somepeople on here are too pmpous to get anything other than assos, then pootle around on their bling bikes doing 12mp av These look worth a punt even if to wear after a ride as compression tights.I wear some of mine for this so I think I might get pair of these for after ride.
I have many base layer tops from here also, the umbro and nike ones, as good as any.

thegodplato

oldwelshman wrote:

Depends what you want really, somepeople on here are too pmpous to get anything other than assos, then pootle around on their bling bikes doing 12mp av These look worth a punt even if to wear after a ride as compression tights.I wear some of mine for this so I think I might get pair of these for after ride.
I have many base layer tops from here also, the umbro and nike ones, as good as any.

Why do you wear them after a ride?

oldwelshman

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

TKF

I've done several hundred miles in Karrimor padded shorts and they still offer enough comfort.

The tops are perfectly adequate, too. All get washed after each ride and they've held up well.

Recently got some base layer tops and again they seem fine.

Lot of snobbery surrounding clothing I've noticed. Nothing better than powering past a full TdF branded rider and wave your Karrimor arse at him

cyco2

smidsy wrote:

The pad in the tights was OK until I bought a set of Gore bib tights due to a mad rush to the head while browsing the inter web one day and realised how good a pad can be.

So, a couple of panty liners would have saved you the washing then

amaferanga

oldwelshman wrote:

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

I think you need compression tights, not just a pair of regular bib tights!

andrewjoseph

^ regular tights are nowhere near the same as proper compression tights.

my compression tights are a fight to get on, and are supposed to be so.

oldwelshman

amaferanga wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

I think you need compression tights, not just a pair of regular bib tights!

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

rodgers73

Wait for the Aldi offers - much better quality gear for same prices.

andrewjoseph

oldwelshman wrote:

...

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

i don't think they will do a similar job. Have you ever used proper compression tights? i regularly ride in tights, i have tried on my wife's cycling tights (she is a lot smaller than me), there is no comparison to the pressure from compression tights. They have varied compression levels in different parts of the garment to give different pressure.

Ordinary cycling tights may be better than nothing, but they are not the same as compression tights.

I have tried both, cycling tights give very little compression.

I got compression tights for touring. longs consecutive days in the saddle, they help a lot more than leaving our tights on. We camp up, shower, compression tights on and we sleep in them. Legs are much better the next day.

oldwelshman

andrewjoseph wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

...

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

i don't think they will do a similar job. Have you ever used proper compression tights? i regularly ride in tights, i have tried on my wife's cycling tights (she is a lot smaller than me), there is no comparison to the pressure from compression tights. They have varied compression levels in different parts of the garment to give different pressure.

Ordinary cycling tights may be better than nothing, but they are not the same as compression tights.

I have tried both, cycling tights give very little compression.

I got compression tights for touring. longs consecutive days in the saddle, they help a lot more than leaving our tights on. We camp up, shower, compression tights on and we sleep in them. Legs are much better the next day.

Horses for courses
I soak legs in cold water, rub in some lavander based oil. then just put on bib tights.
I dont like compressions tights as I find them a bit toooooo tight, just my preference. I am not saying they are exactly the same, I said they do similar job, they are fine for me thats all I am saying.

amaferanga

oldwelshman wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

I think you need compression tights, not just a pair of regular bib tights!

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

How do you know they work anything like compression tights though if you've never tried compression tights?

jds_1981

TKF wrote:

I've done several hundred miles in Karrimor padded shorts and they still offer enough comfort.

The tops are perfectly adequate, too. All get washed after each ride and they've held up well.

I've used a few of the karrimor shorts and luminous tops.
The shorts lasted a fair while, but the padding eventually moved around.
The tops have lasted ages, although they're now badly stained with London road dirt/grime/grease

oldwelshman

amaferanga wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

I think you need compression tights, not just a pair of regular bib tights!

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

How do you know they work anything like compression tights though if you've never tried compression tights?

:roll: read my post above your post, I said I find them a bit too tight, so I have obviously tried them

amaferanga

oldwelshman wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Google benefits of wearing compression tights after hard rides.
Instead of paying a lot of money on specific designed compression tights I just take a shower, put lavander based oil on my legs and a pair of bib tights for compression.

I think you need compression tights, not just a pair of regular bib tights!

Why do I need to get compression tights? I find the bib tights do ok for me. I dont see point to pay £60 for a dedicated pair of cmpression tights when BIB tights do similar job.

I didn't say you NEED them. I don't have any.

amaferanga

oldwelshman wrote:

:roll: read my post above your post, I said I find them a bit too tight, so I have obviously tried them

:roll: Isn't that how they need to be to actually work?

andrewjoseph

anderrson wrote:

Ahhh, might get one so, i was looking at one in dunnes, dont need a whole load of support!

The point of compression tights is to give a 'whole load of support'. They help the muscles to relax by stopping them bouncing around. Also to help improve blood flow from the lower legs so metabolites are removed quicker, oxygen transport is supposed to be increased as is nutrient flow. They help your legs get rested and fed better.

If you don't need the support, don't get compression tights.

Pross

I'm thinking of getting some of the bright orange tops for summer commuting. They might not be the most aero but should be fine for that plus my local Sports Direct is closing down and the prices are even cheaper. Might also get some shorts for the relatively short commuting. Most of the other stuff looks poor when I've looked at it.

NITR8s

Be careful Ive got the muddyfox shorts and the dye from them has run and dyed the white part of my saddle blue, I also washed a bright yellow jacket with them on a 40 wash and the jacket is now green. (Looks quite good actually), Other than that I wore them on a 69mile cycle and dont have much complaints.

Gizmo_

Pross wrote:

my local Sports Direct is closing down and the prices are even cheaper.

What, they're paying you to take stuff away?

Pross

Gizmo_ wrote:

Pross wrote:

my local Sports Direct is closing down and the prices are even cheaper.

What, they're paying you to take stuff away?

Only if it's got Lonsdale written on it

fat_cat

Have bought both tops and shorts. Tops are fine in my experience, still going strong after 30 or so washes. Shorts are less good, and won't be buying these again.